Mirrors
by Kmsitterley
Summary: Katara has been through too much pain and now when she looks in the mirror she is nothing but a ghost of a girl who once was. There is no one to argue because she's put walls up around her heart. No one can see past them. Except one, the one she doesn't trust above all others. But what if he's the only one who can chase her pain away? Zutara. One-shot/Might continue upon request.


Mirrors show you a reflection of yourself, that much is common knowledge. However, mirrors can only show you you're outward appearance. Katara had frozen a puddle so that she could re-bobbin her hair when this provoking thought crossed her mind. Most of the gaang was off exploring the western air temple, and the lonely silence left her alone with her mind.

_If mirrors could show us what we are on the inside...what would I see?_

She thought about all she'd been through. All of the pain and loss and sacrifice that now made up the majority of her being. She closed her eyes and imagined seeing a more ragged image of herself, with dark circles under her eyes and dried tears covering her cheeks. She pictured the numerous scars that would cover her body and gave each one a name.

_Mom's death, Dad leaving...Zuko's betrayal._

The last one got under Katara's skin more than she'd like to admit. Since Zuko had joined their group two weeks ago, she hadn't been able to form a clear thought. She had been stabbed in the back by the firebender before, and she knew better than to believe that it wouldn't happen again.

At the same time, though, that small part of her heart that remained pure and untouched by the cruelties of life wanted to hope that he was sincere. No matter how much hatred Katara mustered for the ex-prince, that piece of her wanted to give him a second chance and start where they left off in that cave under Ba Sing Sa.

_If only I could put a mirror in front of his heart._

These conflicting thoughts seemed to beckon the devil himself from his corridors into the common area where she sat by the cold, dead fireplace. Katara stared at it, contemplating the irony of the metaphor it provided for the way her heart felt. She could not feel the warmth that once graced her heart, before the cold of war took root.

"Katara?" She had chosen not to acknowledge his presence as he sat across her metaphor, but now that he initiated conversation, she was forced to look up.

Her fierce cerulean blue eyes clashed violently against his gold ones. Her glare seemed to do little to deter him, he was used to her icy anger. He looked at her calmly, his expression showing signs of curiosity, if not concern.

"Would you like me to light it?" He questioned with a cautious tone.

She narrowed her eyes further and considered tossing a sharply sarcastic comment at him. She then thought about the impending sunset and how it would be dark soon.

"If it's no inconvenience," she said in the sweetest voice she could manage, biting back her spite.

Zuko gave her a single nod and flicked his wrist at the fireplace, giving it a small flame. He then took several deep breaths, the fire growing with each breath. Once he deemed it satisfactory, he got up and walked around to where she sat, taking the seat next to her. Katara nearly growled at his close proximity, and when he leaned back on his hands, it agitated her even more.

"What were you thinking about?" He asked her casually.

"Why do you care?" She shot back and he rolled his eyes.

"What? Do you think I'm going to use your day-to-day thoughts to take you all out?" He asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "I'm trying here, Katara. You could at least let me do that."

She squirmed slightly, her conscience making her uncomfortable until her stubbornness yielded.

"I was," She huffed, again frustrated that he'd found a loophole, "I was contemplating what it would be like if mirrors showed us what we are inside rather than what we look like on the outside."

She looked at him, awaiting his response, but he simply sat in silence, absorbing what she'd said. She could see the wheels turning in his mind as he thought on what had been plaguing her.

"Well... that would be something wouldn't it?" He stated quietly after a few minutes of quiet pondering.

They both sat together in the stillness of the evening, watching as the sun began to set over the top of the ravine. The oranges and purples danced across the sky in a wonderful dance to be admired by all.

"What would you see?" He inquired gently.

"You first," She scoffed. How dare he ask her to open up to him like that after what he did to her. He didn't deserve for her to let him sit next to her, let alone her sharing her opinions concerning herself. That's too personal.

He sighed deeply and then took a deep breath,

"Well..." She was surprised when she realized that he was serious, "I would see a man who betrayed his country, his culture, and the only man who was ever any kind of father to him. I'd see a man who chased false redemption for the better part of his life only to realize that in the process he'd thrown away his only true hope. I'd see a man not worth saving."

Katara was shocked by the things he was saying. She'd always thought of Zuko as a vain, arrogant, selfish prince. Never as the humble man who sat before her now.

"Your turn," he said quietly turning a soft gaze to her, but she was stunned into silence. Once he realized that she wasn't going to say anything, he answered for her.

"It's alright, I know what you'd look like in front of that mirror," she braced herself for the cruel comments that were sure to follow his intro, but they never came.

"I would see your fierce loyalty to those you love, your fiery passion for justice, your desperate desire to help those who can't help themselves, and your caring compassion for those in pain. I would see exactly what I see when I look at you now. No matter how much pain this war has put you through, your tender heart remains. That's more admirable than anything else in this world."

Zuko's kind words made Katara's heart ache in both pain and the tenderness he believed was in her. She felt overwhelming guilt for the vile thoughts she felt toward him and, for a moment, their past was forgotten. She rested her hand over his and their fingers wound together as they stared at the fire. Tears dripped down her face as that small, pure part of her heart emerged.

They sat there in silence as the stars came out, but their silence wasn't lonely, and Katara knew that she didn't need to be afraid of mirrors anymore.

* * *

**So there's that! I'm gonna be honest this one-shot was born from listening to Christina Perri's song "the words" for an hour and a half annddd that's it. **

**I've been really struggling to pick up my old mojo with A Fighter's Heart  so I figured I'd start something new to get the juices flowing! Not sure if I'm going to continue this or not...thoughts?**

**Gosh I've missed you gorgeous souls. That's my last disappearance. I don't do well away from you angels.**

**I'll be back my loves! Leave some lovely comments? Thanks;)**

**Kmsitterley**


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